Development of a Novel Antenna Array for Improved Sensing Capabilities

 

About Topic In Short:
	Who: Researchers at Princeton University led by Kaushik Sengupta.
	What: Innovation of a shape-shifting antenna array based on origami design that offers reconfigurability and adaptability, with wider resolution and capturing complex three-dimensional scenes beyond the capability of a standard antenna array.
	How: Installed a new class of broadband metasurface antennas onto standard, flat panels and connected a number of the antenna panels into a precisely designed origami surface with an offset checkerboard pattern. The array assumes a variety of different shapes like curves, saddles, and spheres by folding and unfolding the panels.

Introduction:

The ever-growing demand for better sensing and imaging capabilities in autonomous vehicles, robots, and cyberphysical systems has led researchers at an Ivy League university to introduce a unique type of antenna array. The Waterbomb Origami Antenna Array, designed like a folded paper box, promises to provide significant improvements in sensing technology by enabling a reconfigurable and adaptable radar imaging surface that captures complex three-dimensional scenes beyond the capability of traditional antenna arrays. 

Waterbomb Origami Antenna Array Creation:

To create the Waterbomb Origami Antenna Array, a new type of broadband metasurface antennas were installed onto standard flat panels. These panels were connected into a precisely designed origami surface with an offset checkerboard pattern. By folding and unfolding the panels in specific sequences, the array can assume various shapes, such as curves, saddles, and spheres. The simplicity of individual antenna systems means the sensing arrays can be lightweight and cost-effective, making them more accessible for wide-scale deployment. 

Advancements and Applications:

In combination with advanced algorithms, the Waterbomb Origami Antenna Array can effectively process information from a range of electromagnetic fields, expanding the capabilities of devices used for sensing and imaging. The array's shapeshifting ability enables engineers to expand their ability in computer imaging, similar to a transformer robot. This could be valuable for vehicles and robots that require intensive communications while working in different environments. It could also be useful for other electronic structures that require folding and tuning, such as spacecraft and solar panels. 

The Waterbomb Origami Antenna Array has a wider resolution and can capture complex three-dimensional scenes beyond the capability of traditional antenna arrays. The antenna can also morph its shape to manipulate electromagnetic waves in calibrated ways, making it suitable for various applications, including robotics, self-driving cars, smart cities, healthcare applications, artificial and virtual reality. 

Expert Opinion:

Kaushik Sengupta, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, said, “Reconfigurable systems allow us to substantially expand our ability in computer imaging. By using origami, we can combine the simplicity of planar arrays with the expanded ability of reconfigurable systems. With the development of advanced signal processing, we can create highly efficient imaging and radar systems.” 

Conclusion:

The Waterbomb Origami Antenna Array offers improved sensing technology for various applications. Its shapeshifting ability to take on shapes like curves, saddles, and spheres, and its ability to process information from a range of electromagnetic fields, offer a wider resolution and the ability to capture complex three-dimensional scenes beyond the capability of traditional antenna arrays. With the development of advanced algorithms and in combination with origami principles, the possibilities for future advancements in imaging and radar systems are endless.

Image Gallery

Author Kaushik Sengupta in Laboratory with his prototype.

Shapeshifting antenna array promises improved sensing technology.

Origami allows engineers to rapidly shift arrays of antennas, greatly increasing their capabilities.

All Images Credit: from References/Resources sites [Internet]

Hashtag/Keyword/Labels:

#ShapeshiftingAntennaArray #OrigamiAntenna #RadarImaging #AutonomousVehicles #Robots #CyberphysicalSystems #WirelessCommunication #MetasurfaceAntenna #BroadbandAntenna #ElectromagneticWaves #SensingTechnology

References/Resources:

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Eenewseurope

Princeton

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Innovative Artificial Neuron Mimicking Nerve Cells for Medical Advancements

 

About Topic In Short:
	Who: Researchers at the Linköping University (LiU), Sweden. A team of scientists led by associate professor Simone Fabiano and Padinhare Cholakkal Harikesh, postdoc and main author of the scientific paper.
	What: Creation of Biorealistic organic electrochemical neurons enabled by ion-tunable antiambipolarity in mixed ion-electron conducting polymers.
	How: Named c-OECNs (conductance-based organic electrochemical neurons), they closely mimic 15 of the 20 features of biological nerve cells.

Introduction:

Although medical treatments have advanced in recent years, many diseases remain incurable. Thus, researchers strive to find innovative technologies to improve medical treatments. One such technology is an artificial neuron that mimics nerve cells, which could revolutionize the field of medicine. This article explores the creation of an artificial neuron that mimics nerve cells and its potential for medical treatments.

 

What is an Artificial Neuron and Why is it Significant?

An artificial neuron imitates the biological nerve cell's functionality. These neurons can receive, process, and transmit information like biological neurons. Creating an artificial neuron is crucial for building intelligent systems capable of complex tasks like recognizing patterns and making decisions. Developing an artificial neuron that mimics nerve cells can revolutionize medical treatments.

 

How the Artificial Neuron was Developed:

Researchers at Linköping University have developed an artificial neuron that demonstrates 15 of the 20 characteristics of biological neural cells and can communicate with natural neurons. They call their device the "conductance-based organic electrochemical neuron" (c-OECN), based on materials that conduct a negative charge, including organic electrochemical transistors and n-type conducting polymers. By printing thousands of these transistors on a flexible substrate, they have been able to create artificial neurons. The device uses ions to control the flow of electricity like biological neurons, and the Swedish team has demonstrated that it can control the vagus nerve in mice, implying great potential for medical applications.

 

Medical Applications of the Artificial Neuron:

The artificial neuron can communicate with natural neurons, making it useful for controlling electrical signals in the body, leading to new treatments for chronic pain, epilepsy, and Parkinson's disease. It can also create prosthetic devices that interact with the body's nervous system, leading to new treatments for paralysis.

 

Thus Speak Authors/Experts:

Simone Fabiano, a researcher involved in the study, states, “The key challenge in creating artificial neurons that mimic real biological neurons is the ability to incorporate ion modulation." Padinhare Cholakkal Harikesh, another researcher involved in the study, explains that “Mimicking nerve cells can help us understand the brain better and build circuits capable of performing intelligent tasks."

 

Conclusion:

Developing an artificial neuron that mimics nerve cells is a breakthrough in medical treatments. This technology has the potential to revolutionize medicine and lead to treatments for conditions without a cure. Although more research is necessary, the creation of the artificial neuron is a significant step towards developing intelligent systems that can perform complex tasks.

Image Gallery

Heading into the lab: Chi-Yuan Yang, Deyu Tu, and Padinhare Cholakkal Harikesh.

Padinhare Cholakkal Harikesh works with the chemical transistors making a new creation. The yellow light is due to most light frequencies being filtered out in the clean room where the work occurs.

The chemical transistors used in the artificial neurons.

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Hashtag/Keyword/Labels:

#ArtificialNeuron #MedicalTreatments #Neuroscience #IonModulation #NeuralControl

 

References/Resources:

Electronicsforu

LiUniversity

Sciencedaily

Scitechdaily

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New Way to Generate Energy from Trains on Rail Lines

 

About Topic In Short:
	Who: Institute Name - Virginia Tech, Authors - Mehdi Ahmadian and his team of researchers.
	What: Harvesting electromagnetic energy from moving trains using a railroad tie that collects the energy.
	How: By using piezoelectric transducers installed in the railroad ties which convert mechanical strain energy into electrical energy.

Introduction:

As the need for sustainable energy grows, alternative energy sources are being explored. Research shows that moving trains generate electromagnetic energy that can be converted into electricity. This article explains the process of harvesting this energy. 

The Concept of Energy Harvesting:

Moving objects generate energy that can be converted into electricity through electromagnetic induction. As trains move on rail lines, they produce electromagnetic fields that can be captured and converted into electricity using specialized equipment. 

The Harvesting Process:

Special equipment is installed under the rail ties to capture the electromagnetic fields produced by the moving trains. The captured energy is then transmitted to a rectifier that converts it into DC power for use in various applications. 

Implementation of Technology:

The technology for harvesting electromagnetic energy is being implemented in several countries, including the United States, Japan, and China. Virginia Tech is one of the leading institutions researching this field, and Norfolk-Southern Railroad has allowed them to place a prototype on their rail line. 

Benefits of Technology:

The use of this technology can contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of the transportation industry and provide a sustainable energy source. Train operators can reduce their energy bills by using the electricity produced to power various systems in their trains. The electricity produced can also be used to power smart rail technology, safety equipment, and communication systems. 

Author/Expert Opinion:

Mehdi Ahmadian, director of the Railway Technologies Laboratory at Virginia Tech, believes that this technology will become a commercial product in the near future. He also believes that it can provide a sustainable energy source for the transportation industry. 

Conclusion:

Harvesting electromagnetic energy from moving trains is a viable solution for providing sustainable energy for the transportation industry. This technology is being implemented worldwide and will become increasingly important as the world moves towards a more sustainable future.

Image Gallery

Yang Chen inspects an energy-harvesting rail in the Railway Technologies Laboratory.

The Closer-look at the spring action of typical Railway track.

Researchers at the Virginia Tech Center for Vehicle Systems and Safety (CVeSS) and the Railway Technologies Laboratory have created a new kind of crosstie that replaces the conventional wooden variety and is equipped to generate power from moving trains, transforming that energy into usable electricity, according to a report by The Roanoke Star.

The whole team in Laboratory with the prototype.

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Watch the Research in Action: the Video

Hashtag/Keyword/Labels:

#electromagneticenergy #harvestingenergy #movingtrains #renewableenergy #sustainability #energyefficiency

 

References/Resources:

Electronicsforu

VirginiaTech

Electricandhybridrail

Railwayage

Eepower

Wvtf

 

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Innovative Creation of Living Muscle and Microelectronics Based Biomedical Robots

About Topic In Short:
	Who:  Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Northwestern University, and other collaborating institutions; study co-leader Rashid Bashir and co-first author Zhengwei Li.
	What:  Creation of remotely controlled miniature biological robots made with living muscle and microelectronics, called "eBiobots".
	How:  Combination of soft materials, living muscle tissue, and microelectronics to create a biobot with freedom of movement, using tiny wireless microelectronics and battery-free micro-LEDs to remotely control it.

Introduction:

Recent advancements in biomedicine have led to the creation of miniature biological robots, known as eBiobots, which combine living muscle and microelectronics. These innovative machines have the potential to bring about a revolution in the field of medicine by enabling minimum invasive surgeries and detecting disease biomarkers within the human body.

 

Background:

The development of eBiobots is the result of a collaborative effort between researchers from various institutions, including the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern University. eBiobots are the first biological machines that combine soft materials, living muscle, and microelectronics.

 

Process of Creation:

The process of creating eBiobots involved developing biobots, which are small biological robots powered by mouse muscle tissue grown on a 3D-printed polymer skeleton. Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign were the first to develop these biobots and demonstrated walking biobots in 2012. In 2016, researchers at Northwestern University integrated tiny wireless microelectronics and battery-free micro-LEDs, allowing them to remotely control the eBiobots.

 

The researchers eliminated bulky batteries and tethering wires to provide freedom of movement to the biobots. The eBiobots use a receiver coil to harvest power and provide a regulated output voltage to power the micro-LEDs. The micro-LEDs activate specific portions of muscle, making the eBiobot turn in the desired direction.

 

Optimization of eBiobot design:

The researchers used computational modeling to optimize the eBiobot design, integrating components for robustness, speed, and maneuverability. The iterative design and additive 3D printing of the scaffolds enabled rapid cycles of experiments and improvement in performance.

 

Applications:

eBiobots offer potential for future integration of additional microelectronics, such as chemical and biological sensors, or 3D-printed scaffold parts for functions like pushing or transporting things that the biobots can encounter. Integration of electronic sensors or biological neurons could allow eBiobots to sense and respond to biomarkers for disease, among other possibilities. This opens up new possibilities for healthcare innovation, such as in-situ biopsies, minimum invasive surgery or even cancer detection within the human body.

 

Authors/Experts Opinion:

Rashid Bashir, an Illinois professor of bioengineering and dean of the Grainger College of Engineering, stated that "Integrating microelectronics allows the merger of the biological world and the electronics world, both with many advantages of their own, to now produce these electronic biobots and machines that could be useful for many medical, sensing, and environmental applications in the future.”

 

Zhengwei Li, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Houston, commented that "In developing a first-ever hybrid bioelectronic robot, we are opening the door for a new paradigm of applications for healthcare innovation, such as in-situ biopsies and analysis, minimum invasive surgery or even cancer detection within the human body.”

 

Conclusion:

eBiobots are an innovative creation that represents a new frontier in the integration of biology and electronics. Living muscle and microelectronics combine to provide potential applications in the field of medicine, including minimum invasive surgery and cancer detection. Further research in this area could lead to even more advanced applications of eBiobots in the future.

Image Gallery

Remotely controlled miniature biological robots have many potential applications in medicine, sensing and environmental monitoring.

Remote control steering allows the eBiobots to maneuver around obstacles, as shown in this composite image of a bipedal robot traversing a maze.

The eBiobots are the first wireless bio-hybrid machines, combining biological tissue, microelectronics and 3D-printed soft polymers.

All Images Credit: from References/Resources sites [Internet]

Hashtag/Keyword/Labels:

#biologicalrobots #microelectronics #livingmuscle #medicalapplications #invasivesurgery #cancerdetection #biomarkers #sensors #neurons #healthcareinnovation #bioengineering

 

References/Resources:

Electronicsforu

Illinois

Wevolver

Iotworldtoday

Hospimedica

Azorobotics

 

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Creation of Smart Contact Lenses for Augmented Reality (AR) Navigation

 

About Topic In Short:
	Who: Institute Name - University of Washington, Authors - Babak Parviz, Ehsan Saeedi, and Andrew Lingley.
	What: Smart contact lenses that can implement AR-based navigation by incorporating microelectronics and wireless communication technologies.
	How: The lenses are constructed by integrating microelectronics such as wireless chips, antennas, and miniature LEDs into the soft contact lenses using layers of polymers. The working involves sensing the surroundings through built-in sensors, processing the information, displaying the information using micro LEDs, and communicating wirelessly with external devices.

Introduction

Smart contact lenses have been a subject of interest in recent years. The ability to display augmented reality (AR) on a contact lens can revolutionize the way we interact with our surroundings. In this article, we will discuss the development of smart contact lenses capable of implementing AR-based navigation. 

Background

Smart contact lenses are contact lenses that can provide various types of information, including health monitoring and augmented reality. The main challenge in developing smart contact lenses for AR is the requirement for low power electrochromic displays. Previous methods for applying the required material, pure Prussian blue, as a film on a substrate using electric plating have limited the ability to produce advanced displays capable of expressing various types of information such as letters, numbers, and images. 

The Ink Meniscus Approach

Researchers from the Smart 3D Printing team at KERI and Professor Lim-Doo Jeong's team at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) have developed a new core technology for smart contact lenses. This technology enables the realization of AR by printing micro-patterns on a lens display using a 3D printer, without the need for voltage. The key to this achievement is the meniscus of the ink used in the process. The meniscus of acidic-ferric-ferricyanide ink forms between the micronozzle and the substrate. The precursor ions undergo spontaneous reactions leading to the heterogeneous crystallization of FeFe(CN)6 on the substrate within the meniscus, and solvent evaporation takes place on the surface of the meniscus. The meniscus phenomenon offers a significant advantage in that there is no restriction on the type of substrate used. 

Printing Process

During the printing process, precise nozzle movements enable the crystallization of Prussian blue, resulting in the formation of micro-patterns. These patterns can be formed on both flat and curved surfaces, producing very fine patterns with a resolution of 7.2 micrometers. The resulting color is continuous and uniform, making it ideal for smart contact lens displays for AR. 

Applications

The primary application area for smart contact lenses capable of AR-based navigation is expected to be navigation. By wearing the lenses, AR-based navigation can be displayed directly in front of the user's eyes. Additionally, popular games like "Pokemon Go" can be enjoyed through the lenses without the need for a smartphone. 

Thus Speak Authors/Experts

According to Dr. Seol Seung-Kwon of KERI, "Our achievement is a development of 3D printing technology that can print functional micro-patterns on non-planner substrate that can commercialize advanced smart contact lenses to implement AR. It will greatly contribute to the miniaturization and versatility of AR devices." 

Conclusion

The development of smart contact lenses capable of implementing AR-based navigation is a significant achievement. The ink meniscus approach used in this technology enables the realization of AR by printing micro-patterns on a lens display using a 3D printer without the need for voltage. The primary application area for this technology is expected to be navigation.

Image Gallery

Professor Im Doo Jung (center) and his research team in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UNIST.

Image presents a schematic of the PB-based EC display with a navigation function in an AR smart contact lens that shows directions to the destination to a user on the EC display by receiving GPS coordinates in real time. Credit: Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute.

Meniscus-guided micro-printing of Prussian blue (PB).

Optical micrographs presenting the dependence of the printed line width on inner diameter (ID).

Electrochromic (EC) display for navigation system embedded in a contact lens.

Image showing meniscus phenomenon. Credit: Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute.

All Images Credit: from References/Resources sites [Internet]

Hashtag/Keyword/Labels:

Smart contact lenses, AR-based navigation, wearable technology, augmented reality, ophthalmology.

 

References/Resources:

ElectronicsForYou

Unist

ScienceDaily

Techexplorist

Scitechdaily

Miragenews

Medium

Todaysmedicaldevelopment

 

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